ANDERSON BUTTE

October 11, 1931: "John Cantrall returned home Tuesday from Anderson Butte lookout station where he has been employed for some time as lookout man." (Medford Mail Tribune)

May 1, 1933: "One more lookout will be added to the Applegate's list this year when the building is completed on Anderson Butte. N.C. White of Medford and Ranger L.C. Port of the Star ranger station on Big Applegate were in that vicinity last week surveying for the location of the lookout which is to be completed by July 1. The new construction, which will take the place of the secondary lookout that has been erected at Anderson Butte through the summer months for the past two years, will be built on top of a 30-foot tower." (Medford Mail Tribune)

July 31, 1933: "Work commenced today on Anderson Butte lookout house, which will be situated atop a thirty-foot tower. The house is to be 14x14, according to plans. The timber for the building will be cut at the location of the lookout. The Applegate CCC boys are to do the work." (Medford Mail Tribune)

​August 8, 1933: "Material for the construction of the tower at Anderson Butte is being packed in for a distance of three miles, according to forest service officials." (Medford Mail Tribune)

January 15, 1935: "Edward Smith and Miss Ruth Mays visited the new road to Anderson lookout station which is being constructed by the CCC boys of Talent." (Medford Mail Tribune)

June 26, 1935: "Mr. and Mrs. Bob Lindsay and daughters moved to Anderson Butte Lookout June 16. A surprise party was given them the evening of June 15." (Medford Mail Tribune)

September 27, 1935: "Bob Lindsay was transferred from Anderson Butte lookout to Buck Peak lookout for the rest of the season." (Medford Mail Tribune)

August 13, 1936: "Hugh Shurtleff of Medford is fulfilling the position of lookout at Anderson Butte. David Moore, formerly stationed on the mountain, has accepted employment in Medford." (Medford Mail Tribune)

June 10, 1938: "Hugh Shurtleff of Medford at Anderson Butte lookout. Men at Anderson Butte and Dutchman's Peak will have cars and will be expected to go to fires in their locality." (Medford Mail Tribune)

1938: A crew of five men from the Applegate CCC camp constructed a 16 x 20 garage / woodshed at the cost of $50.00.

October 28, 1938: "At present the men are constructing a garage and woodshed at Anderson Butte lookout." (Medford Mail Tribune)

1941: The lookout was staffed for 95 days. Communications were by Pacific Telephone and Telegraph to the Star Ranger Station.

1948: The Rogue River National Forest transferred the lookout and lookout duties to the Southwest Oregon FPA.

1950: Painted by Ellwood and the Lookout. (Southwest District Annual Report)

July 7, 1953: "The state forestry district this morning placed a lookout on Anderson butte, completing the quota of lookouts for the Jackson county portion of the district, where there are now a total of 11." (Medford Mail Tribune)

1957: "Building maintenance: Work on shutters and stairs." ​(Southwest Oregon District Annual Report)

June 18, 1958: "We visited the lookout at the top of Anderson Butte the other day (it's a pleasant drive and a magnificent view when you get there), and in our discussions with the nice couple who operate the station, we inquired as to how far he had to go to get his water. He told us that he got his water in Medford, whenever he drove in for supplies every two or three weeks. Medford water, he explained, is so pure that it can stand in a tank for weeks without going bad. Some of the spring or stream water, much closer to the lookout, tends to get brown or green, and sour, from growth of algae, if it stands for a days or so. Mr. and Mrs. Stone, on top of Anderson Butte this summer, prefer to wait and haul up a tank full of Big Butte spring water, rather than use more readily accessible supplies." (Medford Mail Tribune)

1961: "District headquarters reported that Mrs. Ida Mae Stone was placed on Anderson butte. This is one of the first three lookouts to be placed this season, others will placed next week. The forestry office said that the area was starting to dry out and that there have been lightning storms in the area. The lookout will also serve to relay radio messages to field wardens." (Medford Mail Tribune)

April 20, 2015: Visited the lookout site, the only remains of the trestle type tower of round native timber are the foundation blocks and stair pad. All other traces have long since disappeared. The access road is blocked at its entrance and dirt berms have been placed along the entire length, bikes and ATVs use the road bed, but full size vehicles can not negotiate the berms. Only about a mile walk. Above are two views of the tower site.

The NGS Data Sheet

STATION DESCRIPTION

DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1941 (LAM)THIS INTERSECTED STATION IS THE 35-FOOT LOOKOUT TOWER ON THESUMMIT OF ANDERSON BUTTE, ELEVATION 6,193 FEET, SITUATED ABOUT10 MILES S OF MEDFORD. MARKED FOREST ROADS LEAD TO SUMMIT BYWAY OF WAGNER CREEK ROAD, WHICH LEAVES PACIFIC HIGHWAY (U.S. 99)WAY OF WAGNER CREEK ROAD AND ANDERSON GAP IS ABOUT 12.5 MILES.

STATION MARKED BY USFS DISK IN CONCRETE BLOCK SET UNDER CENTEROF TOWER.

STATION RECOVERY (1952)

RECOVERY NOTE BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1952 (WRH)STATION IS LOCATED ON ANDERSON BUTTE, A PROMINENT BUTTE THAT ISPARTLY COVERED WITH TREES. IT IS, AIRLINE, ABOUT 10 MILES WESTOF ASHLAND, 10 MILES SOUTH OF MEDFORD, 6 MILES WEST OF TALENT,AND DIRECTLY UNDER THE CENTER OF THE STATE FIRE LOOKOUT HOUSE.

STATION IS REACHED AS FOLLOWS--FROM THE LARGE SCHOOL BUILDINGIN TALENT, GO SOUTH ON MAIN STREET, WHICH IS THE FIRST STREETWEST OF THE SCHOOL, FOR 1.2 MILES TO A SIDE ROAD ON THERIGHT. TURN RIGHT AS PER SIGN ANDERSON CREEK AND GO 0.8 MILE TOA FORK. TURN LEFT AS PER SIGN ANDERSON CREEK AND GO 1.9 MILES TOA FORK. TURN LEFT AND GO 0.6 MILE TO A FORK. TURN SHARP LEFTAND GO UP GRADE FOR 3.3 MILES TO A SADDLE. TURN RIGHT AS PERSIGN ANDERSON L.O. AND GO 4.0 MILES TO THE LOOKOUT HOUSE AND THESTATION.

STATION MARK, STAMPED ANDERSON BU LOT 1935, IS A U.S. DEPARTMENTOF AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE TRIANGULATION DISK SET IN THE TOPOF A 12 INCH SQUARE CONCRETE POST PROJECTING 3 INCHES. IT IS INTHE CENTER OF THE FOUR LEGS OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER.